Chapter 183: Wolf Team’s Last Stand

From one of the streets deeper inside the safe zone, a line of armored vehicles had been positioned across the road, forming a makeshift barricade. Behind them, Wolf Team held their ground, firing through the gaps between the vehicles as wave after wave of infected rushed toward them."Keep the formation!" Thomas shouted, moving along the line as he checked his soldiers. "Don’t let them break through! Watch your spacing!"

The veterans followed his orders, but several of the newer recruits were already struggling to keep their composure. One young soldier fired wildly as an infected rushed toward him, his shots scattering uselessly across the street. When the creature came within a few meters, panic took over and he turned to run.

"Hey! Get back here!" Thomas shouted.

The soldier froze for a moment before reluctantly turning around, but his hesitation had already affected the men around him. A few others began stepping backward as the infected slammed against the armored vehicles.

"Hold the line!" Thomas barked. "If you retreat without an order, they’ll surround us!"

Among the soldiers, Bong-gu and Haris kept firing their M16s into the horde. Sweat gathered on Bong-gu’s forehead as he watched more infected pour into the street.

"What the hell?" he muttered between bursts. "Are we actually going to survive this? The whole safe zone is falling apart!"

"Stop talking and shoot!" Elena snapped beside him.

The long-haired woman calmly kept her M16 trained on the horde, firing controlled bursts despite the chaos around them.

Bong-gu glanced at her. "I’m just saying..."

"Watch out!" Haris suddenly grabbed Elena’s shoulder and pulled her aside as an infected leaped over the barricade.

The creature landed where she had been standing only a moment earlier. Elena rolled across the ground, came up on one knee, and raised her rifle.

BANG! BANG! The infected’s head snapped backward before it collapsed.

More infected rushed forward, climbing over the bodies of those that had fallen. One lunged toward Bong-gu, who froze for half a second as its claws reached for him.

"Bong-gu!" Elena grabbed the back of his vest and yanked him away just as the infected’s claws swept through the space where his head had been.

"Move!"

"I’m moving!"

The two of them fired together, dropping the creature before it could attack again.

But farther down the line, two soldiers weren’t as lucky.

"AHHH!"

"HELP!"

The infected crashed into them, dragging one soldier to the ground while another desperately tried to pull him away. Their screams were quickly drowned out by the gunfire as more infected piled toward their position.

"Fall back!" Thomas shouted. "Second line, take over! Everyone else, get behind the vehicles!"

The soldiers began retreating toward the barricade, firing as they moved. Thomas stayed near the front, covering the withdrawal while the newer recruits scrambled behind the armored vehicles.

Then a deep, heavy impact suddenly shook the street.

BOOM! One of the armored vehicles violently lurched sideways as a massive figure had slammed into it.

"Thomas!" Elena shouted as the armored vehicle blocking the street was shoved aside.

"Fall back!" Thomas immediately ordered. "Everyone, behind the second line!"

Dozens of infected poured through the opening, flooding into the street now that the barricade had been broken. Soldiers scrambled backward while continuing to fire, trying to keep the horde from surrounding them.

"Shit, shit! This is insane!" Bong-gu cursed as he fired. "I shouldn’t have come here!"

"Stop panicking and watch your targets!" Haris shouted back. "Just keep firing!"

A furious roar suddenly drowned out their voices. "GRAAAAH!"

The Gorefist charged through the opening, its massive body pushing aside the infected around it. Elena planted her feet and raised her M16, firing directly into its chest.

"Freaking musclehead!" The bullets tore into its thick flesh, but the Gorefist barely reacted. It lowered its body and charged straight toward her.

"Elena, get back!" Thomas turned around and rushed toward her, firing his rifle as he moved. The bullets struck the Gorefist’s body, but they did little more than leave shallow wounds.

As the Gorefist got near her, she threw herself sideways and rolled across the concrete, the Gorefist thundering past, its massive fist missing her by inches.

’How tough is this thing?’ She quickly pushed herself back up, her eyes following the Gorefist as it turned around. ’If Jaxon were here, he would’ve taken this thing down already.’

"Elena!" Haris had stopped retreating as well. He turned around and opened fire on the Gorefist, drawing its attention away from her.

"Hey!" Bong-gu shouted when he saw his friend stop. "What are you doing?"

Haris ignored him and kept firing.

"Damn it..." Bong-gu cursed under his breath, but he turned around too, positioning himself behind Haris as he raised his rifle and fired into the infected rushing toward them.

"Just keep the little ones off me!"

"I’ve got you!"

The Gorefist suddenly raised one massive fist and slammed it into the ground.

BOOM!

The concrete cracked beneath the impact, sending a shockwave through the street. Elena lost her balance as chunks of broken pavement flew toward her, one striking her leg.

"Fuck!" She stumbled backward and nearly fell.

The Gorefist immediately raised its head and charged again.

"ELENA!" Thomas shouted as he tried to reach her, but the creature was already too close.

THUP! A suppressed shot struck the Gorefist.

The massive creature jerked backward.

THUP! THUP! THUP!

More shots followed in rapid succession, each round tearing through its thick flesh. The bullets tore through its chest and ripped upward toward its head, destroying everything in their path.

The Gorefist staggered, then another precise shot struck its skull.

BAM! Nearly half of its skull exploded, sending dark blood and chunks of flesh across the street.

The massive body finally collapsed.

Then the same suppressed shots began cutting through the surrounding horde.

THUP! THUP! THUP!

Infected dropped one after another, each bullet finding its target with frightening accuracy.

Bong-gu slowly lowered his rifle. "What...?"

From a nearby building, two figures stepped into view.